This invention relates to a moving target practice apparatus mainly for use with firearms, including but not limited to airguns, bb guns, pellet guns, air rifles and soft airguns. More particularly, this invention relates to a moving target practice apparatus for shooting practice that is easily transported and is capable of producing movement for increasing the challenge for shooting practice. The invention is not limited to firearms and can also be used with non-firearm projectiles, such as projectiles thrown by a user, including but not limited to darts or balls used for games.
Target apparatus for shooting practice are generally found in shooting galleries and amusement parks. In a basic target apparatus, a marksman can practice his/her hitting accuracy by shooting at a stationary target, for instance one made of a sticky gel substance that permits projectiles to either become embedded therein or stick for a few seconds then drop into a suitable catch bin (also known as a “sticky target”). For a more challenging practice, a marksman can practice his/her skill, judgment and timing by shooting at a moving target.
Target practice apparatus that can be used at home are becoming increasingly popular and desirable. However, most conventional home target practice systems are not challenging enough in that they tend to be of the basic stationary variety. Conventional moving target apparatus are large, heavy and expensive and are not adapted to be used in the home, or carried by hand and moved to different locations. Furthermore, such practice apparatus usually have targets that topple when hit, and then must be reset again manually. This is inconvenient, time consuming and interrupts the flow of target practice.
It would be advantageous to provide a portable moving target practice apparatus having an element of unpredictability for the user via a series of apertures that align to create openings which reveal a visual cue to a user to fire. It would be advantageous to simultaneously provide an apparatus comprising toppling targets that are automatically resetable from a toppled position to an upright position providing uninterrupted practice for the marksman.
It would be advantageous to be able to collect projectiles that hit the moving target practice apparatus.
It would be advantageous to provide a moving target apparatus which is simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture and portable by a user.